Apparatus for ironing garments.



H. B. FERGUSONl APPARATUS PoR 130mm@ GARMENTS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, 1913. 1 s l 239 l 86, Patented Dec'. 29, 1914.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

Fg?. E

H. B.' FERGUSON. APPARATUS FOR IRONING GARMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10,1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i gag HERMAN B. FERGUSON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR IRONING GARMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Application led November 10, 1913. 'Serial N o. 800,041.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that .I, HERMAN B. FERGU- soN, a citizen -of the United States, residing at" Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Ironing Garments, of which the following is a. specification.

The invention relates to garment ironing apparatus or machines, and constitutes an improvement over the apparatus of my Patent No. 1,078,269, issued Nov. 11, 1913. The invention has for its primary objects, (l) the provision of improved means for securing the approach of the ironing or pressing members so that the garment is gripped at one end, leaving the rest of the garment free to be pulled straight before the inal pressing operation; (2) the provision of automatic means whereby the garment is straightened after its end is gripped by the presser members; (3) the provision of improved means for adapting the machine to the ironing of garments of different thicknesses; (4) the provision of means whereby the lower presser member is more accessible for positioning the garment thereon, and whereby the operations can be more rapidly and conveniently carried on; (5) the provision of means for reducing the jarring' effect of the machine when the spring operating toggle is released; 6) the provision of a machine whose capacity is greatly increased as compared with the machine ofV my prior application, and (7) the provision of an improved lower presser plate and pad construction whereby durability is secured together with small expense in maintenance.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in preferred form in the accompanying drawing, wherein- V Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus, withcertain of the parts in section; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a plan View of `the presser plate where the shirt is to be stretched or straightened by means of the stretcher bar extending through the folded ortion; Flg. 4 is a view similar-to that o Fig. 3, but showing the arrangement Where the shirt is to be stretched from the shoulders; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail-view of the spring member employed in the operation as illustrated in Fig.v 4; Fig. 6 is a side View of this spring member; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the rear end of the lower presser plate, with the stretcher bar and shirt in position thereon, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged end elevation of the lower presser member, with a portion of the structure at one end in section.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the framework 1 of the machine is of ordinary construction and carries rigidly secured thereto a hollow presser plate member 2 to which a supply of steam is conducted by means of a pipe 3. Mounted beneath the plate 2 is a lower presser plate supporting member comprising a plate 4 to which is rigidly secured a pair of transversely extending steel rods 5 and 6, the rods being shown in end elevation in Fig. 1. Mounted upon this supporting framework are two lower presser plates 7 and 8, one of such plates being shown in Fig. 2 as beneath the upper presser plate 2, and the other plate being shown to the right of its operative position beneath the steaming means to be later described.

The plate 4'which carries the rods 5 and 6, and the lower presser members, is pivoted at 9 (Fig. 1) upon two links 10 which lie on opposite sides of thefrafne and are'pivoted thereto at 11. The pivotal connection at 9 is a transverse rod, and pivoted upon this same rod is a bar or plunger 12 which slides is a sleeve 13 screwthreaded into a lug 14 carried by the frame. Screwthreaded upon this sleeve 13 is an adjusting nut 15 which supports the lower end of the compressing spring 16. The nut 15 is held against accidental rotation by means of a jam nut 17 This arrangement provides for a yielding pivotal support for the end of the plate 4. The position of the links 10 is governed by means of a cam 18 pivoted at 19 and provided with a handle 20, such handle being held in any desired position by means of a pin 21 adapted to engage any one of a series of perforations 22 in the frame. r.This arrangement is of advantage in adjusting the apparatus to accommodate shirts or garments wherein the material is of varying thickness, the pivot point 9 being adjusted down for the thicker shirts and up for the thinner ones.

Pivoted tol the lower portion of the plate 4 at its central portion is a plunger 23 working in an externally threaded sleeve 24. A nut 25 screwed upon the sleeve governs the tension of the spring 26 and is held against accidental rotation by means of the lock nut 27. The sleeve 24 is pivoted at its lower end to the bell crank lever 28 which is designed to be operated from the treadle 29.

Pivotedvto the end of the plate 4 is a cylinder 30 in which works the plunger' 31 pivoted to the bell crank lever, the parts 30 and 31 constituting together a dash pot and serve to prevent a too violent downward movement of the plate 4 and the parts care ried thereby, when the treadle is released.

In operation the treadle 29 isl depressed until the pivotal connection between the bell crank 28 and sleeve 24 reaches a dead center, at which time the arm 32 of the bell crank lever engages the ends of the levers 33 and 34 (Fig. 2). These levers 33 and 34 are similarly constructed, with their inner ends lying alongside of each other when the lparts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, at which time the bent portion 35 of the treadle engages the curved portion 36 of the frame, so that the treadle is positively stopped against further downward movement. rl`he bell crank lever is released from its dead center position after the pressing operation by pressing down on the outer end of one of the levers 33 or 34, which operation raises the treadle and permits the parts to assume the position indicated in Fig. 1. The two releasing levers 33 and 34 are provided so that the treadle can be readily released by the operator standing upon either side of the machine. In order to eliminate the noisy operation of the release levers 33 and 34 springs 37 are provided which normally hold the levers yieldingly in the positiony illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 illustrates the treadle in its lowest position, at which time the plate 4 carrying the lower presser plates is in its upper position.

The two lower presser plates 7 and 8 are of similar construction and are mounted for sliding movement along the rods 5 and 6. The rods 5 and 6 are provided with antifriction balls 38 set in recesses in the rods, and the presser plates C" and 8 are provided at each end with clips 39 extending around the rods, whereby the plates are held from displacement with respect to the rods. In operation the lower presser plate 7 .after the pressing of a garment as indicated 1n Fig. 2, is moved to the left, and the plate 8 upon which a garment has been arranged for pressing is moved to the left and beneath the upper presser plate 2. l/Vhile the garment upon the plate 8 is being pressed the garment which has been pressed upon the plate 7 is removed and another garment placed thereon for pressing. After the garment on the plate 8 has been pressed the plate is moved back to the position mdicated in Fig. 2 and the garment pressed removed and another for pressing substituted, and

during this period the presser plate 7 is brought again to operative position beneath the plate 2 as indicated in Fig. 2. By this arrangement involving the use of the two lower presser plates substantially twice as much work can be gotten out of the machine as would be the case if only a single presser plate were employed. The arrangement is further advantageous in that it is much easier to adjust the garment upon the presser plate when lsuch lower presser plate is to controlled in each case by a valve 42 having a handle 43, and the mounting of the pipes 40 for swinging movement permits the transverse pipes 41 to be swung longitudinally over the shirt, dampening it thoroughlyfafter which the pipes 40 can be swung to the rear and out of the way, as indicated at the left hand side of the machine of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 of the drawing illustrates the manner in which the shirt is arranged upon the lower presser plate 8. The lower end of the shirt is folded underneath, and lying transversely in this fold is what may be termed a stretcher plate or bar. The ends of this bar 44 extend out past the sides of the presser plate and past the sides of the garment, and can be grasped or acted upon mechanically to pull the shirt straight after the collar end of the shirt has been gripped between the two presser plates as indicated in Fig. 1. The sides of the presser plate 8 are provided with two upstanding clips or stops 45 as indicated in Fig. 8, which. serve to position the stretcher bar 44. After the bar 44 has been positioned and the shirt straightened out on the plate 8 the plate is moved from the position of Fig. 2 to a position beneath the upper presser plate 2, the plate 7 at this time of course being moved to a position at the leftof the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Upon actuating the treadle 29, the shirt is first gripped at its collar end, after which the shirt is progressively pressed from such end to the oth er end as the right hand end of the presser plate (Fig. 1) 1s made to approach the upper presser plate 2. Fixed to the sides of the presser plate 2 are a pair of cams 46, and as the lower presser plate approaches the upper plate the inclined surfaces of these cams 46 engage the front edges of the stretcher bar 44 and cam this stretcher bar to the rear a limited distance. When this camming action-begins to be effective the shirt is of course gripped at the collar end, but the main portion of the shirt is free. The camming action during the approach of the plates is effective to apply a stretching or straightening action to the garment, so that when the final pressing action occurs the shirt is perfectly straight, and no creasing or wrinkling occurs such as would be the case if the shirt had not been properly smoothed out. After this pressing action is completed the lever 28 is released by means of one of the release levers 33 or 34, and after the lower presser member has moved down it is slid out laterally to the position indicated in Fig. :2 and the shirt removed from the plate and another put in position.

When desired, the position of the shirt upon the presser plate `8 can be reversed as indicated in Fig. 4, such reversal, however, requiring thel use of a supplemental holding member 47 preferably made ou'fu of spring wire and normally assuming the shape indicated in Fig. 5. When placed in position in the shirt the arms occupy the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and apply a yielding pressure tending to hold the shoulders of the shirt out square as indicated in Fig. 4. The member 47 is provided with a shoulder 48 (Fig. 6) which hooks over the rear side of the bar 44, and thestretching operation secured upon the bar 44 by the cams 46 is precisely the same as is the case where the bar is employed as indicated in Fig. 3.

- In order to make the lower presser plates and their pads more durable, and in order to permit of the application of a clean outer covering when desired, I preferably employ the construction shown in Fig. 9. As here illustrated, the body portion 0f the plate is built up of the two layers of wood 49 and 50 arranged at right angles in order to prevent warping. Mounted upon this body portion is a pad which consists ofa long strip of cloth 51 wound back and forth a large number oftimes about the end bars 52 and 53. These end barscan be adjusted longitudinally in order to tighten the cloth from time to time, by means of the members 54 which hook over the bars 52 and` 53 at their ends and can be pulled downwardly by means of the nuts. 55. Beneath the body portion of the plate is a steel plate 56 with upturned flanges 57, and intermediate these ianges and the ends of the wood portion of the board are the removable transverse strips 58. These strips 58 serve to secure in position what may be termed the cover of the pad. This cover consists of a sheet of fabric 59 whose ends lie beneath the' bars 52 and 53. Other strips of less width may be substituted for the strips 58 when the bars 52 and 53 are adjusted to the positions below those illustrated. When the bars 58 are forced into position the' ends of the pro- 'tecting cloth 59 are clamped between the upper edges of the strips and the padding surrounding the bars 52 and 53. When the protecting* cloth becomes soiled it can be easily removed and replaced without in anywise disturbing the pad itself, and the pad can be maintained perfectly flat and smooth by tightening the nuts 55, thus stretching the body of the fabric lying between the bars and 53.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for ironing garments, comprising an upper presser plate, a lower presser plate opposing the upper plate, means for yieldingly and pivotally supporting one of said plates at its end for rocking movement toward and from the other plate and with such pivoted end adjacent the end of the other plate so that the end of a garment placed between the plates may be' gripped between the ends of the plates when the rocking movement is started, and yielding means for rocking the pivoted plate.

Apparatus for ironing garments, comprising an upper presser plate having heating means, a lower presser plate provided with a pad, means for yieldingly and pivotally supporting the lower plate adjacent its forward end, with such pivoted end adjacent the upper plate so that a rocking movement of the Vlower plate causes the plates to grip the garment progressively' commencing at the portion adjacent the pivoted end of the lower plate, the said plates being substantially fiat, and means for swinging the .lower plate toward the upper plate.

3. Apparatus for ironing garments, comprising a supporting framework, an upper presser plate having heating means, a lower presser plate opposing the upper presser plate, pivotal means for one of the said plates located adjacent its end and adjacent the end of the other plate, means for yieldingly supporting the said pivotal means upon the said framework, and operating means for moving the lower presser plate.

4. Apparatus for ironing garments, comprising an upper presser plate having heating means, a lower presser plate opposing the upper plate, means for pivoting one of said plates adjacent its end with such pivoted end adjacent the other plate'so that a rocking movement of the said pivoted plate causes the` plates to grip the garment rogressively *commencing at the portion o the garment adjacent the pivoted end of the said plate, means for yieldingly supporting the said means for pivoting the plate, and means whereby said means for pivoting the plate may be adjusted toward and away from the other plate.

5. Apparatus for ironing garments, comprising an upper presser plate having heating means, a lower presser plate opposing the upper plate, means for pivoting one of said plates adjacent its end with such pivoted end adjacent the other plate so that a rocking movement of the said pivoted plate causes the plates to grip the garment progressively commencing at the portion of the garment adjacent the pivoted end of the said plate, means for yieldingly supporting the said means for pivoting the plate, and yielding means for rocking the pivoted plate for securing the pressing action.

6. Apparatus for ironing a garment folded upon itself, comprising a lower presser plate, an upper presser plate, means whereby one of the presser plates is made to approach the other and grip the end of a garment therebetween, leaving the other ends of the plates separated, and a transverse stretcher bar lying at the end of the garment remote from the end thereof which is gripped and extending out past the sides of the garment and the presser plates, and means for moving the said bar in a direction away from the gripping ends of the plates as the movable plate approaches still closer to the other plate.

7. Apparatus for ironing a garment folded upon itself, comprising a lower presser plate, an upper presser plate, means whereby one of the presser plates is made to ap- 'proach the other and grip the end of a garment therebetween, leaving the other ends of the plates separated, atransverse stretcher bar lying at the end of the garment remote from the end thereof which is gripped and extending out past the sides of the garment and the presser plates, and relatively fixed cams arranged to cooperate with the ends of the said bar and move it longitudinally of the presser plates before the movable plate reaches its hnal pressing position.

8. Apparatus for ironing a garment folded upon itself, comprising a.vl lower presser plate, an upper presser plate, means whereby one of the presser plates is made to approach the other and grip the end of a garment therebetween, leaving the other ends of the plates separated, and a transverse stretcher bar lying at the end of the garment remote from the end thereof which is gripped and extending out past the sides of the garment and the presser plates, stop means carried by the movable presser plate and adapted to position the said bar, and means for moving the said bar in a direction away from the said stops as the movable plate ed upon itself, comprising a lower presser plate, an upper presser plate,l means whereby one of the presser plates is made to approach the other and grip the end of a garment therebetween, leaving the other ends ofg'the plates separated, the transverse stretcher bar lying at the end of the garment remote from the end thereof which is gripped, and antomatic means for moving the presser bar to apply tension to the garment as the plates approach each other.

In testimony whereof l. have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

H. B. FERGUSON.

Witnesses J. C. BRADLEY, AncHwonTH MARTIN. 

